


Once a Paladin, always a Paladin

by DidiNyx



Series: Tales of Platonic Voltron [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bromance, Crying, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Family, Sibling Love, can i hug them all, friendship/family, how does one tag this?, pidge's reaction to lance thinking about leaving the team :p, poor babies, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-22 17:10:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11971881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DidiNyx/pseuds/DidiNyx
Summary: When Pidge finds out about Lance thinking about leaving Team Voltron for good, she decides they need to talk.Fluff and angst ft. Lance & Pidge siblingship I crave after season three. <3





	Once a Paladin, always a Paladin

**Author's Note:**

> So basically I got the feels for Katie/Matt and then I took a nap...And when I awoke I was inspired to write this ish. Enjoy!! <3 
> 
> P.S. YES THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE AFTER S3 WHEN THEY GET THE REAL SHIRO BACK??? Idk just roll w/ it XD

Pidge was freaking out.

Which was sad, because usually that was Hunk's job.

She sat alone at the dining table, aboard the Castle of Lions, staring blankly at a sandwhich Shiro had made for her. (She couldn't reach the peanut butter jar and Shiro had a lot of quality time with her to know her food likes and dislikes.) 

She tried to eat but her appetite was completely gone, for she was still replaying all the words Lance had said a few hours ago, probably on accident. During the heat of battle, Keith was leading the team and reminded everyone to stay put and work together (which Pidge found ironic given the fact he usually wanted to split away from the team to do his own thing). 

Lance's exact response was:  _Of course. I'm not leaving my family. Even though I wanted to run away from all the pressure and let the_ real _heroes do everything...I can't just do that. We need all the help we can get._

 _Help!?_ Pidge thought bitterly.  _He just sees himself as the "help"? He basically created this family! And now he wants to leave?_

It wasn't fair, and Pidge's head spun everytime she thought about it. Her _old_ family was gone--or, at least, presently unreachable. There was no way she was going to let Lance's idiot choice tear up her new family.

She tried to stay mad at Lance, but it was hard. She had really no room to say anything; she tried to leave Team Voltron too when they first became paladins.

But still, she didn't know better then. Lance _did_.

And the fact that he wanted to leave?

That stung. Deeply.

She knew she should just let it go, but she was feeling so many emotions--anger, bitterness, guilt... How long had Lance been contemplating this? How long has it been since Lance, Hunk, and herself actually worked as a team without all the Galra nonsense--

"Katie?"

Pidge slowly stood up straight, recognizing the familiar soft voice. Only one person on the team called her Katie.

"Hey, Shiro," she muttered, trying hard not to meet his gaze.

"Is everything alright?" he asked in polite concern. They both knew the answer, though.

There was no point in lying. "No, not really."

"I can see. Haven't even touched your sanwhich I kindly made for you."

Pidge perked up at Shiro's light, teasing tone. "Heh, sorry, Shiro."

"No problem." He suddenly took a seat in front of her. "What's wrong?" he asked with a more serious tone.

Pidge sighed. "Lance."

Shiro managed a chuckle. "You know how many times I've heard that response from somebody?"

Pidge managed to smile. "I bet most of 'em were from Keith?"

"You know it." 

Pidge glanced down, then continued: "He mentioned something about wanting to leave."

Shiro frowned, worry lines on his face now more visible. "Oh, yes, I remember. Sounds familiar?"

Pidge's cheeks burned, and she didn't reply. Even though she tried to let go of the past, sometimes the guilt of knowing she once wanted to leave her beloved team became so overwhelming.

"It's okay. Lance is here now. He wouldn't leave us."

Pidge finally glanced into Shiro's grey eyes. Even though they lacked in color, they were still warm and kind.

"Shiro, have you ever considered how long Lance wanted to leave? _Why_ does he want to leave? Er, _did_   want to leave, I mean. Does he still want to? Is Lance--" Her voice broke, and cursed the tears forming in her eyes. "Is he okay?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

 She refused to meet Shiro's gaze. Even though she _had_ cried in front of him before, it's been awhile, and she hated seeing the people she looked up to witness her at such a vulnerable state.

After moments of silence, Shiro finally grabbed her hand. "I know how you feel, Katie," he said softly, and though she still didn't look at him, she felt his eyes locked on hers. "I felt the same way, when I heard you wanted to leave, when we first got to be true paladins. I didn't want you to leave and get hurt and everything being my fault, no, not after your brother..." 

Now it was his turn to stumble over his words. Pidge's heart felt suffocated once more, for she now learned that her ideas of Lance being another Matthew Holt example of leaving was shared by another team member. She would've already suspected Shiro felt the same way, if it wasn't for his lack of ever mentioning his fellow teammate and friend. 

Pidge composed herself and squeezed Shiro's hand, looking up at him with a smile. "It wasn't your fault."

Pidge knew it wasn't a sentence that would reassure or even satisfy Shiro; they were only four simple words. But she did know the best thing she could _ever_ do for anyone on the team was to be there and listen. And her goal now was to do that more often.

Shiro smiled. "So, kid, what did we learn?"

Pidge's smile only grew. "I think I have a way to help Lance now."

Shiro looked finally at ease. "Well, got get 'em, Pigeon."

 _Pigeon._ It had been way too long since Shiro had called her that.

* * *

 

Pidge waited next to Blue, inside one of the four engine towers at the edge of the castle. She had to take deep breaths in order to calm herself, for she didn't necessarily want to be crying in front of Lance, the boy she used to resent more than any other person she'd ever met before they started becoming friends at the Garrison. Sometimes the same "sibling rivalry" they had didn't go away, and even in Lance's current state, she knew he'd bring a fight if he felt it was necessary.

Oh, how she missed the old days where Galra ships and space creatures didn't try to attack them all the time, nothing but training and Lance's stupid jokes. She didn't want to go back to that, but it was nice knowing life wasn't as bad back then as Pidge had thought.

_I would've never thought these people would ever be my family, the same way I never thought I could live a life without Matt._

Funny how she'd been going through the impossible these past few years of her life. It seemed as if _impossible_ for her had only meant trying to prevent Matt from stealing her laptop all those years ago. Instead she's living a dream she would've never thought of herself.

 _Why am I so nervous? It's just Lance. He's never intimidated you before..._ She figured that was because she never saw him vulnerable. This was the first time she _really_ saw what an impact this whole space business really did to him. Her perspective of him was now entirely different than before.

She could code advanced technology from space and maybe even accept she had to deal with crazy alien guys. So why was her friend's emotions so...incomprehensive?

As she was deep in thought, loud, rushed footsteps came into earshot, and Pidge was pulled back into reality when she realized Lance had finally showed up.

 

"Pidge!" Lance gasped, panting as he stopped abruptly to process his friend's appearance.

"Pidge..." he repeated, more tired. "Are you okay? What's the emergency? Are you hurt? _Dude_ , don't _ever_ \--"

"I'm fine, chill," Pidge replied teasingly. "What did you think was wrong?" She pushed her (read: Matt's) glasses closer to her nose and straightened her light brown hair, sensing a loud response from the concerned teen.

Lance looked down at her like _Seriously?_ as he wiped sweat from his forhead. "I don't know! This is freaking space we're talking about! You could've been attacked by some Galra creep, or maybe a giant robot, or huge space taco--Heck, freaking _Sharknado_ could've been happening right now!"

Pidge found his exasperated arm swings and pacing amusing and she grinned, suddenly chiding herself for being so nervous. This was _Lance McClain_ , not some dude she didn't know or trust.

This was her _brother_.

"Sharknado? Seriously, dude? You're so obsessed with those things, oh my gosh. You're never staying up with Keith and watching that movie ever again."

Lance smirked, all signs of agression gone. "Oh come on, Pidge. I'll let you have the popcorn."

"Only if I get the couch for myself while you two idiots sleep on the floor."

"Deal." Lance smiled.

_He actually smiled._

"Well, what did you want to talk about? I didn't come all the way here to get a lecture on my bonding skills, have I?"

Pidge chuckled, though now uneasy.  _Can't turn back now._

"No, though that may be tomorrow's issue." She took a deep breath, hoping Lance couldn't sense her sudden nervousness. "Listen, Lance. I heard what you said earlier, while we were in batle...about....about, er, leaving the team." Her voice became soft and Lance was completely silent.

She fixed her glasses again, trying to relax. "I know how you feel, of course, because I too wanted to leave, but...I really took it to heart." Tears started forming in her honey-brown eyes, and she tried to ignore Lance's eyes widening in panic.

"Lance," she said, voice now shaking. "I don't want you to leave. And I had no idea you felt that way, and I'm sorry..." She wiped away as many tears as she could as she continued: "I should've known that--that you were hurting. That you didn't feel like the team needed you. And I was so, so wrong when I labeled you as the goofball." Pidge was now holding her aching sides. "You're so much more than that, Lance...."

Lance leaned forward was if to touch her arm, and she back away, not done with her speech. "I lost one family, Lance. I lost Matt, my brother, my only sibling, the one person I could _fully_ trust. I can't lose you either. You're my brother too."

Lance now didn't care for Pidge's protests. He went straight up to her and hugged her tightly, leaning down to the smaller girl. Pidge sniffled, arms wrapped around his neck tenderly, desperately, as if he'd vanish. Just like Matt.

Tears formed in Lance's deep blue eyes as well, but that didn't stop him from smiling. "Oh, Katie," he whispered, rocking her back and forth. "I love you, you know that? I won't leave you. Because you're my little sister. Really, you are. I've always saw you liked that--Well, I mean, not when I thought you were a him, but..." He chuckled and Pidge laughed.

A _genuine_ laugh.

"I lost my family too. I had many siblings. All in which I adored. Losing people is part of life, and we're both missing our family, I know. But we're going to get through this together, yeah?" He pulled away to meet Pidge's eyes. "You're my sibling too. And I wouldn't trade that for the world."

_You're my sibling too._

This, by no means, Lance knew, would always act as reassurance or even satisfy Pidge for long. But he knew the best thing he could do for his family was to be there. And listen.

 _Blue, the most human color._ Pidge smiled, wiping Lance's tears away, who smiled in return.

"You're important, you know? You brought us together. You're our sharpshooter--isn't that what Keith said?"

Lance blushed as Pidge continued: "Once a paladin, always a paladin." She held out her hand.

Without hesitation, Lance took it. "For now and for always."

**Author's Note:**

> guys. im not ok. i made myself emotionally unstable, send help.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments are more appreciated than kudos because I'd love to hear your thoughts, opinions, headcanons, ideas, ect. regarding this fanfic.
> 
> Other VLD work (sobs I only have one more rn and it's Klance sooo):  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/11724630
> 
> Hit me up on my tumblr!! queennyxie.tumblr.com
> 
> gAHHHH THE SAPPY FEELS PPL


End file.
